The Celebration Herd
by Dark Whizzer
Summary: The title will make sense as I get farther in. There hopefully will be sequels once I finish this. A story about the beginnings of teh 2003 ponies.
1. Escape

The Slave Ponies  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Okay, I admit it, I chose a theme song for some of the characters. The theme for each one is named here. I will also note where I got the song. I  
can't post it or anything so just leave it to your imagination.  
  
Kimono: Right Before Your Eyes: Daredevil The Album  
  
Wysteria: If You Can Dream: Radio Disney Pop Dreamer  
  
Rainbow Dash: Sad Exchange: Daredevil The Album  
  
Sunny Daze: My Immortal :Daredevil The Album  
  
Razzaroo: Raise You Rifles: Daredevil The Album  
  
Wysteria threw herself forward against the thick leather harness, willing herself to pull the heavy load on the other end. Her brother, Kimono, did the same and with a crack of the whip against their backs they were off.  
  
The creatures who lived in these mountains struck terror into the heart of any mother pony. They had for ages. They were the Mountain Grundles They were no threat to the baby pony who wouldn't go to bed on time. They were a real danger. They kidnapped baby ponies from smaller settlements and occasionally large ones and brought them back for slaves to pull the stones that they mined and made their houses out of. They didn't use pegasi, the hollow bones were to weak to do any good. No unicorns either. Once they got older and more experienced their magic became a threat. If they ever kidnapped either of those, it was for dinner on their journey back with the helpless baby earth ponies. They kidnapped less often now. Only if their stock was low. Because of the hybrid.  
  
The hybrid was a mix of two distinct breeds of pony. Eastern and Northern. The Eastern had quickly proved useless. They were not hardy enough and their thin bodies broke easily when they were beaten. They did however have speed and this was valued. The king himself kept several to show off to the fellow royalty by racing them. The Northern were chubbier looking. They lacked the speed of the Eastern. They were a bid hardier. Most of all they were better at pulling the heavy carts. Especially the Clydesdale-like males. So out of curiosity the two were bred together to create the hybrid.  
  
The days were always the same. They blended together. A net to keep them here. A mesh as close as the scars on their backs. Haul the stone, be whipped for not going fast enough. At the end of the day have your harness yanked off. Be forced into the stable. No, not a stable. A stone chamber with heavy wooden doors that was never cleaned. That smelled of manure and was filled with piles of it. It was no stable. It was a prison.  
  
This day was different. Today, as the stormy clouds rolled overhead, there was a strange feeling in the air. As usual, Kimono's harness was yanked off of him and the ugly gray creature who called itself his master tried to push him into the deep darkness of the stable. Kimono didn't obey like he always had, he fought. He reared, his hooves beating a clear indentation in the creatures head. The other rushed over. The whips beating into him, each blow bringing new fury they forced him back into the stable and slammed the heavy wooden doors. Kimono heard the heavy bar fall into place and just stood there. He could feel the others staring at him. Not quite willing to ask what had taken hold, but not willing to let that moment of freedom go.  
  
He walked silently over to his mate, Sunny Daze. He stood in front of her and she looked up into his face and said nothing. Everything she felt, every crack of the whip on her back, every blow of the stick, ever moment of pain, was written in her eyes. Silent tears rolled down her face. Kimono closed his eyes and turned to the others. They looked on him as a leader and he knew it. He trotted back to the door and stared at it as if hoping his gaze would cause them to open. He looked out the small crack, as usual, the guard had left for his break, that would last all night.  
  
Rainbow Dash stood silently beside him. Solemn eyes taking in every crack and line in the door. He chose a spot in the door and shoved himself against it. He gritted his teeth and his hooves found what solid ground they could on the rocks embedded in the mud floor. Kimono slammed himself into the door and pushed as well. Razzaroo pushed as well. Soon all of them stood there. Pushing and hoping. The hybrid was bred especially for pulling and such tasks. They were a powerful breed. Maybe that, or maybe help from above caused the beam holding the boor shut to begin to crack and break. Maybe that allowed the door to swing slowly open as the ponies stood in awe.  
  
Kimono didn't stop. There was no time. They had to move fast. No time to stand around staring. With a quick jerk of his head he signaled them to follow. They made a quick trot on their way toward the forest. The forest would be the first place for the search once their escape had been discovered, but the forest could hide them. They just needed to get through it in time. Once in the forest they broke into an all out run. It was the first freedom they had ever experienced, but there was not time to enjoy it. Kimono could see a field up ahead, but he swerved to avoid it. The Mountain grundle's griffin-like mounts could easily find them if they were in a field. He couldn't help but toss his head. It felt so good when the wind ran like fingers through his long matted hair.  
  
It seemed as like as soon as they started they stopped, but it was nearly dawn. They couldn't keep running forever. He a small clearing. It was to small to be noticed, but was full of sweet green grass. Razzaroo took one taste and grinned. She looked at the sky and glanced at Moonlight who had been her pulling partner and took off at a run and bucked and reared twisting her body around. As if getting rid of the feeling of being attached to another. Getting rid of the feeling of sorrow that had been with her for her entire life.  
  
Wysteria joined her. Soon they all had. In a sort of primitive celebration. 'Celebration,' Kimono thought, 'We are the Celebration Herd'. He leaped for the sky and landed and nuzzled his mate.  
  
Sunny daze felt so alive. She and Kimono could finally have their foal. It would live in freedom its entire life. No more refusing because of the cruel treatment foals had been given in the mountains. No, they were happy now. 


	2. Medley's Discovery

A large shape with flapping wings suddenly circled overhead, a dark shape silhouetted against the clear blue skies. They panicked. They had spent most of their lives watching escapees be dragged back in the talons of the Grundle's griffin-like mounts. The same escapees were burned alive and eaten that night while, in their stables, the ponies were left sick by the smell of the burning flesh. They had no intentions of ending up like that.  
  
Minty Kimono, and Rainbow Dash quickly herded the mares back behind the trees and made sure that they had everyone well hidden before joining them. Then, the creature landed. It was massive, a body of muscle and feathers, it was... a pony?  
  
"What in the world are you doing under there?" Its voice jolted them out of their shock. It had one of those calm, assuring voices that made it seem as though each word was part of some sweet melody that the rest of the world had not yet thought up. Of course, then again, obviously songs had been part of its destiny judging by the music notes it had for a symbol.  
  
Medley couldn't believe it. A nice midday flight and she had run into these freaks. Well, not really freaks, just really shy ponies. Why were they looking at her that way anyway? It was almost like they expected her to attack any minute, they had relaxed a bit when they heard her speak, but not much. She guessed the best way to talk to them was to get down to their level. She rolled her eyes, stuck her head under the bush, and looked Moondancer right in the face.  
  
"Didn't you hear me? I asked why you were hiding from me."  
  
The grayish-blue pony she was speaking to looked extremely nervous, she gulped and muttered a few words, strange words. "Iae Kba?"  
  
Medley frowned. She recognized the language, it was a northern one. Certainly a strange dialect. She had known a few ponies from around there and they were always oddballs, always paranoid to, but not like this. She was deciding to bring them back to the castle with her so Wind Whistler could translate when one of the ponies spoke in halting English.  
  
"She knows no English." The pony frowned as she said this, it obviously took much of her concentration to remember how to say things. "I speak little. Am Autumn Skye, you?" Though any hearing the speech would have assumed she was unintelligent, Medley knew otherwise. With the size of Ponyland, the space between valleys, and even the smaller villages sometimes having their own language, knowing more than the one you were born to was a practical miracle.  
  
"Medley." She answered with a nod. "There is a castle about half a day away if we walk, will you follow me back to it?" Autumn Skye listened intently and turned back to her fellows and translated. A stallion stepped forward ,his solemn eyes were distrustful, but he nodded.  
  
As they began walking Medley turned to Autumn Skye. "He your leader? Whats his name? How did you learn English and where do you come from? And what in the world did that one say to me?" She pointed at Moondancer.  
  
Autumn Skye smiled faintly and took a deep breath. "Kimono is leader." she nodded " I learn English from stable mate before I was put with them." She gestured to the rest of her small band. "And why we here? That is long story, to long, wait till we reach castle for full tale. Moondancer ask if you fly." Medley just nodded at Autumn Skye's answer. In her own way she was not disappointed. There was something special about these ponies, Autumn Skye especially, but there was something they were running form as well, they would not cross open spaces. They were afraid of her when she landed. They feared something finding the, she concluded as the castle came into view, but what? 


	3. The Vision

Queen Majesty shifted uneasily on her throne, it wasn't like Medley to be this late. The green Pegasus might have a bit of attitude, but she minded curfew almost religiously. Where could she-  
  
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of a pink Pegasus, her bright red hair still faintly wind tossed. " Medley is approaching the gates Your Highness." Heart Throb looked faintly troubled.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Majesty inquired. She had not been queen for a hundred years and ten days and not been able to read facial expressions like magic, well, maybe it was magic...  
  
"She's walking-" Heart Throb began before being interrupted by Majesty.  
  
You don't think she is injured?" Majesty gasped. Pegasus were not fast healers and their wings were very important to their survival.  
  
"She does not appear to be, the thing is... she appears to be leading a band of strange ponies, I sent Surprise to go and see what's up." Majesty nodded in agreement, stood, and winked to the castle gates where Medley and Surprise stood in deep conversation.  
  
Surprise nodded and began to head for the castle when she bumped into Majesty. "Very sorry your highness. Medley was just informing me about these foriegners. She supposes the came into the kingdom last night. She says they are scared really bad of something and-"  
  
Majesty cut her off with a twitch of her tail. "I'm sure Medley can explain this very well herself Surprise." Then turning to Medley she said "Why don't you and your friends coem into the throneroom, you can both explain." Medley nodded in agreement.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
A hour later they were all standing in the throne room. The Celebration Herd had under-gone some serious scrubbing to get the stains and smell or manure out of tehir fur, their hair and been cut and let grow back to get rid of the matting, it didn't grow as fast as say a unicorns but by the time tehyw ere in the throne room kimono's hair was to his shoulder and still keeping up a steady growth. Sunny Daze's grew faster and was it was already full length, just barely brushing the floor.  
  
"Now," Majesty said, "Shall we begin?" Wind Whistler turned around to translate the phrase to the strange looking ponies.  
  
"Der, nhobb ru guvyd?" Wind Whistler translated flawlessly. Her tongue forming the words with a perfect accent. The Celebration Herd nodded in agreement and and Autumn Skye began the tale, with Medley telling from where she came in and Wind Whistler translated everything to Majesty and the rest of a fairly nervous looking court.  
  
By the time the story was finished there were many wisperings going on amoung the Dfream Vallians.  
  
"Look at them, I always knew something was wrong, Hybrids, hmph!"  
  
"What are we gonna do? I thought those things were only a problem up north! Our children aren't safe!"  
  
"Calm down everyone, calm down!" Majesty shouted above the turmiol "Yes, they are hybrids of ourselves and our hated rivals, the Easterns, btu it was not their chioce and one cannot procecute tehm for the crimes of another race! It has become clear to me that though these mountain grundles are outside my realm we must still put a stop to them. They are a danger to all of our kind. I will be sending diplomats to The Gardens in hope of creating and army with both ourselves and tehm. We need their speed and quick minds, one cannot argue with that." Majesty was done with her speech, and no one was arguing.  
  
Windy motioned for them to follow her and she led them to their quarters. "Well you each have your own rooms with bathrooms and- Are they a couple?" she asked Autumn sky. Autumn Skye nodded. "Ooookay, they can have a room togethor." Windy said brightly. Autumn Skye eyed her cautiously, a bit to cheerful in her opinion, but it was just unsettling, none of her special feelings.  
  
Kimonos stepped into the room and Sunny Daze followed him. He turned and grinned at her and-  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Rainbow Dash Stopped in the middle of his story. "And?" Baby Sunsparkle asked hopefully. Rainbow Dash looked hopefully at his sister, Autumn Skye for some input, but the pony just smirked mischeviously.  
  
"Hope you don't teach her anything she doesn't need to know Dash." Stand- Up bit into a piece of toast, "Sunny Daze wouldn't be happy."  
  
"Course she wouldn't, nobody wants their kid knowing that at her age." Autumn Skye added helpfully, "Why she'd skin you alive, and Stand-Up, your not supposed to have food in the library, now out!" Stand-Up ducked the boook thrown at himpecked Autumn Skye on the cheek and ran for his life. Autumn wiped her cheek off disgustedly and wnet back to reading. Leaving Rainbow Dash to figure out how to cover up the error his big mouth had made.  
  
"Why, uh, they thought about making you, uh yeah, they considered it." Rainbow Dsah added quickly.  
  
"But how are baby ponies made uncle Rainbow Dash?" Baby Sunsparkel asked.  
  
"Hey do you wanna hear the rest of this story or not?" He asked her.  
  
"Story" She said and he wiped his brow and continued.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Next month they set off for The Gardens and was it a long month. Traing the unicorns in defence (Just in case), teaching the hybrids english, packing, teaching the hybrids in other forms of education. In all the hybrids were an intelligent species and sped through their work and were as educated as an adult by the time they finishded. By now itw as break time.  
  
Autumn Skye sprawled out under the tree and looked out at the meadow where others were frolicking. The sun was shining, the breeze was light enough to cool, but not yet strong enough to be wind. She drifted off under the old elm.  
  
She was standing in a storm, the wind whipped overhead. Leaves whipped around her in a miniature tornado. Then, everything was quiet. She was facing a white, symboless Eastern, long black wavy hair hung to her shoulders and her tail just brushed the ground. The Easterner watched her calmly. No malice, no fear. One word exploded in her head, Draven.  
  
Autumn Skye woke suddenly. She was shaking and was damp with sweat. Several poneis stood over her. She looked up at them with surprise.  
  
"Are you all right? You screamed."  
  
Autumn Skye nodded, "I'm fine, where is Majesty?" The ponies glanced at each other at this strange question, But informed her that Majesty was helping with the last of the packing. Autumn Skye nodded and took off for the castle. 


	4. The Gardens

Autumn Skye was sitting on the comfortable couch in the lounge while Wind Whistler, Majesty, and a strange looking Clydesdale discussed her vision. He was a large creature. Even for a Clydesdale. His body color was like quicksilver and his hair was cut short. His mane was a rough Mohawk and his tail reached only five inches past the back of his knees. What was most scary here was his symbol, a mace.  
  
"Oh, have you met Mace yet?" Majesty had noticed her staring. Mace, for that was apparently his name, turned to face her. With a polite nod he went back to arguing with Wind Whistler on whether or not Autumn Sky was a mystic pony.  
  
A mystic was a pony who saw the future through visions. Autumn Skye for one hoped she wasn't one. They were prone to collapsing while pulling due to visions of importance and that got them killed more often than not. She reminded herself that she would only go back there once. This time with an army to free her fellows. Besides, mystics were always sparkles. The ones with tinsel. She quickly reminded them of this. They regarded her for a second with curiosity.  
  
"Of course," Wind Whistler said with triumph "The ones with a greater affinity for magic, so this must be an isolated incident, nothing more than a nightmare."  
  
"It was not a nightmare!" Autumn Skye stood up and looked Wind Whistler in the face, quite a feat for a hybrid, they were generally rather short and stocky. "It was real, I'm sure of it! This Draven, she was real too. She wasn't really there, but she was a presence, she was powerful, I could feel it. She will help us if we ask!"  
  
Mace looked thoughtful. "I almost agreed with Wind Whistler for a second before realizing something. Most mystics have special markings, but while I was traveling I met a mystic who looked thoroughly normal, yet he was powerful enough to call up visions, interpret them, and even had limited telekinetic. Leading me to believe the ones that aren't marked as special may be the most powerful, but the power is hidden for some reason."  
  
They just stared and Autumn Skye started to cry. She didn't want to be a msytic. Having power was a dangerous thing and she wanted to avoid danger. Majesty looked on the hybrid with understanding. It wasn't easy accepting you were special. Majesty still remembered being told about how she was going to be queen. It felt like being punched really hard in the stomach. She bent down to look Autumn Skye, who had collapsed on the couch, in the eye and said sternly.  
  
"You were born a mystic and you lived your life not knowing it. Chances are, you can live your life knowing it just as well. Some are born with greatness, some have it thrust upon the, and others achieve it and you know what? Being born with it it just having it thrust upon you early and living with it is achieving. Whether you like it or not your important and you will be coming with us on this journey because it you and your kind we are fighting for, and because you have skills beyond so many others."Majesty took a deep breath. How in the world had she accomplished that speech without getting all sappy? "We leave tomorrow, its the beginning of Fall, the negotiations may take time and we don't want to have to attack in winter. We don't want to waste time.  
  
** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Autumn Skye gave an excited yelp as they came up to the steep rocky formation. They had been traveling for two days and already the Dream valley ponies were impressed by the extreme endurance exhibited by the hybrids. The weight was originally distributed evenly, but by now the northern ponies had insisted on carrying nearly twice as much weight as the others and still moved with ease.  
  
Minty and Rainbow Dash raced each other up the rocky incline, their hooves finding any crevice on which they could get a grip. Majesty watched the ponies careful to note which crevices were big enough and which weren't.  
  
"Having trouble your Highness?" Kimono relieved her of some supplies, greatly lightening her load. He slung it over his own back and took off running fast as he could. Once the the top of the hill began bucking and rearing with the rest of the stallions. Fighting as play wasn't a true fight, but it still gave some idea of the grace and power of a hybrid, if the large amounts they were carrying didn't already give the message.  
  
"Majesty? When will we reach the Gardens? I'm eager to know the rest of my history." Autumn Skye had approached Majesty while they were grazing.  
  
"Follow me." Majesty gestured to the edge of the rocks just beyond, not far away, was a large wall of hedges, at least fifteen feet high. Tall trees just barely peeked over the edge of the wall. A gate was facing them. It appeared to be made of gold, with vines twisting around all of it.  
  
"Its beautiful." Autumn Skye breathed. Majesty nodded in agreement.  
  
"we'll stay the night here and if get up at dawn we can be there at well, dawn, or really close anyway." majesty allowed herself a chuckle. It had been years since she came here. She had been here once. When she was little more than a teenager. Her mother had insisted she start learning diplomacy. So she sent her here. She wondered if any of her old friends were here.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The next morning Mace woke them all up. He was a seasoned traveler and had volunteered to be their guide. "Come on! Up! Lots to do today! You have to be awake!"  
  
The ponies ate breakfast without a word, mostly they were just to nervous to say anything. What was going to happen once they had told the Easterns? Would the Easterns even listen?  
  
Once everyone had eaten they made their way down the hill and to the gardens. Coming up to the gate, Majesty yelled a greeting and a solemn faced eastern came up to it. "Excuse me sir, but we would be very happy if you would please open a gate that we may state our business?." Majesty said this quickly. She knew well that the Easterns, like themselves, spoke mainly the original tongue of Ponyland.  
  
"I think you can state you business perfectly well on the other side of our gate, then I will decide whether to let you in or not." the eastern answered coldly.  
  
"May I at least have the pleasure of knowing whom I address?" Majesty was beginning to get fed up him.  
  
"You may call me Silthor." He answered tartly. "You?"  
  
"She is Queen Majesty of Dream Valley." Kimono said stepping forward. "And I am Kimono, leader of the Celebration Herd. And you, will let us enter before I bring this gate down."  
  
Silthor stared for a couple seconds, taking in what he had just heard and what stood before him. Despite their outwardly petty and vain ways, the Easterns were generally more accepting of things like hybrids, mystics, or other abnormalities. They considered the hybrid kin and their own kind. Hybrids were always welcome. He nodded and opened the gate.  
  
All present gasped with amazement. The garden was beautiful on the inside as the outside. There were hedges separating different sections, which obviously served as apartments or something of the sort. In every "apartment" there was a single weeping willow overhanging a small pond for drinking from. For sleeping on there was a cushion of leaves nestled among the roots of the willow. In short, it was breath-taking.  
  
"Shall I lead to you to our appointed leader?" Silthor asked. They nodded and he led them down a narrow path. In the center of the garden they walked into a clearing. In the center stood a may-pole. They ground under their feet was well trampled. Indicating that this was a well traveled area and a meeting place possibly. Silthor led them past it and into yet another apartment. Autumn Skye gasped.  
  
There staring at shifting visions in the water of her pond, was Draven. 


	5. Elements

In her surprise, Autumn Skye clumsily made the mistake of falling into the pond. Draven uttered a soft cry as the ripples shattered the images. She looked at the water logged blue pony and smiled weakly. "No matter, they will come again, I saw all I really needed."  
  
Rainbow Dash stepped forward to pull his sister out of the pond, but she pushed him away and climbed out herself. "Its you..." she began.  
  
"Yes, whom did you expect, but another like yourself?"  
  
Autumn Skye stumbled on her words at this. "Your a mystic?"  
  
"True as they come, it seems we have much to talk about, I will discuss these matters with you after discussing the war with Majesty." Draven turned to Majesty. "All is well? Or not well, or you would not have come to me here."  
  
Majesty nodded. "I will begin my story then..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
* * * *  
  
Draven was, if anything, for the white eastern made a point of not directly showing her emotions, displeased with what she had just heard. "They must be stopped then, yet you expect me to give my greatest foot soldiers to you command so you can go into a war which you have no hope of winning? I was there once you know, it isn't a small community, its an empire"  
  
Majesty frowned, Draven was obviously not about to put her people in danger. She wanted proof that her western cousins would not desert them when the fighting came to it's peak. "We have a large army ourselves. I'm not asking for just foot soldiers, air combat may be useful too."  
  
Draven raised an eyebrow. She was pleased the diplomat knew what words to use at least. "You know that we do not have wings except for the unicorns, and only during the breeding season, but yes, I will let our army join you. Do not take this like you can control us. I command our army, you command yours. When and where will they meet?"  
  
Majesty smiled warmly, "I suppose they should meet in a village near the base of the mountains." Draven nodded.  
  
"I will speak with the mystic now, alone that is. Silthor with get you some temporary living quarters."  
  
As soon as they others left, Draven turned her attentions to Autumn Skye. "Speak openly, unlike some walls, these hedges do not have ears. Truly, ask anything you like."  
  
"What were you doing when we came in?" Autumn Skye was instantly wary of the eastern. Who, in her opinion, was much to friendly.  
  
"I was using water visions, would you like me to show you?" Autumn Skye frowned, btu she nodded, she needed to know as much about this as possible. Draven motioned for her to look into the water.  
  
"You may have trouble with this, each of us has an essence, an element, mine is water. Yours may be any, it isn't limited to water, fire, air, and earth. There is also shadow, cloud, wind. Each could take shape an tell you your future and show you. Now look into the water, feel it, be it."  
  
Autumn Skye took a deep breath to calm herself and looked deep into the water, but all she saw was the bottom of the pond. Nothing, water was not hers? She supposed not and looked at the hedge, and all at once she found her element. There, the shadow beneath it twisted into different forms and shapes, it told all, it was all. She found herself whispering and snapped herself out of the trance.  
  
"Interesting." Draven was studying her face intently. "It would be best you rest now. Silthor?" Silthor came in quickly and led her to the others.  
  
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She looked from face to curious face with a smile. "So what developments do we have?"  
  
"Medley has gone to summon the army, they meet tomorrow." Kimono reported. Autumn Skye nodded with satisfaction.  
  
"Are we part of that army?"  
  
"We are our own army, they both claim us." Minty chuckled , his pink and purple eyes sparkled with glee. "Seems we've become respected citizens." 


	6. The Army

The soft swishing of the willow tree above, its long whip-like branches gently brushed Autumn Skye's face as she woke with a start. The gray light of dawn was just opening into a mural of pink, orange, and purple, the cold air stung a bit and she shivered as a small cloud of steam traveled out with her breath. "Miss, miss? Its time to wake. Matriarch requests that you be ready to go by five o' clock this morning, she is most impatient to leave." A quaint looking purple stallion was shaking her shoulder. Autumn Skye just nodded. "Follow me then, Matriarch requests that we make you all ready for the journey." Autumn Skye supposed that "Matriarch" was Draven. She followed the purple stallion amiably, noting that the others were already up and gone.  
  
"Have all the others gotten ready?" She asked him. He nodded, she frowned, "Mind telling me your name?" it came out harsher than she had intended, but the stallion appeared not to notice.  
  
"My name is Clever Clover, I would prefer you call my clover however." It was Autumn Skye's turn to nod, obviously she wasn't going to get a very entertaining conversation out of this guy. She glanced around at the different quarters and exotic looking plants until they reached their destination, the maypole clearing.  
  
Obviously the guess that it had been a meeting place was not far off. It was the center of activity today. Draven was in the middle of it all. Her clean whit coat was already nearly brown with the dust kicked up by the shuffling of hooves as the ponies did their duties. "You! Pack the blankets! Not the vittles!" She spotted Autumn Skye and gave an exasperated smile, a shrug, and ran off after a pony who was apparently packing the vittles wrong.  
  
"Miss? You will receive you supplies in that quarter over there." Clover gestured toward a doorway next to Draven's. Autumn Skye nodded and trotted through the doorway. Rainbow Dash was looking at his tail with some distaste.  
  
"My eyes already look girly, did they have to add a tail ribbon?" He said with scorn, swishing his tail, the base of which was wrapped in a tight, stiff, blue material that held it erect so that it just barely brushed the ground. He bugged his eyes to show his rainbow colored iris for effect.  
  
Autumn chuckled at her brother's dramatic reaction and stood still while the hair dresser tied her hair up like his. Then she braided the hair into many tiny strands, like dread locks. "This'll keep the hair for tangling on bushes and the like." the hair dresser informed her. "Heres your supplies." the hair dresser made an attempt to pull out a bundle, which Autumn toted like a feather on her back, after relieving the hair dresser of the burden. "Thank you." the hair dresser panted, for the Easterns, despite their speed, were not an especially strong breed. "Now, go out and find Night Star, she will assign you to your group."  
  
Following Rainbow she stepped back out into the clearing. A pony waiting by the door quickly stepped out. "Follow me." The blue-ish pony led them out of the gardens and before them was an incredible sight.  
  
Silthor was at their head. He was commanding the eastern foot army in their exercises. Their flanks shining with sweat and their faces set with concentration they moved themselves into a trot. Silthor shouted another command and all the ponies stood rigid and unmoving. He trotted in front of them. His eyes observing each fault. He shouted another command and they dispersed to get their supplies.  
  
"How many are there?" Autumn Skye asked Night Star.  
  
"Over four hundred in ranks. Others have volunteered to come as well."  
  
"I'd hate to be these the grundles."  
  
Night Star nodded. "They will suffer for the pain they have caused our kin. You will join the rest of your herd just over that hill, our journey begins as soon as the army gets their supplies." Autumn Skye just gulped and headed toward the hill. She didn't trust herself to speak without shouting for the rising feeling she felt in her chest. The feeling she had come to identify as happiness.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
For once the Celebration Herd was tired. The Easterns, due to their speed, had set a fast pace, Majesty and the other Westerns were already asleep. They hybrids and Easterns were sitting around the fire chatting however. Stories were about to be told and Draven had promised to tell the proud Eastern history. She finally came forward, Silthor at her side. Autumn Skye was quick to guess that Silthor was making a strong attempt to court the beautiful white pony. Judging from the fact that he nuzzled her cheek before joining the others he probably already had. Draven blushed faintly and nodded toward the group. "Shall we commence with my tale? Or shall I say our tale?" She sat down and began her story.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
In the beginnings we were wild. We ran the desert like wind given body and had a spirit like contained fire. We lived in great herds, crossing the heated sands with ease. There were few stallions therefore at that time they owned harems and fought for other mares. Our population flourished.  
  
We were a strong race, as I said, but we had a large shortcoming. We were highly superstitious, black colts, like for instance, Silthor, were abandoned. They were considered cursed and evil. For every herd had a protector. A unicorn, born to every generation, and at the same time they had a "twin". The twin was always male, and it was always pure black like the night. They were killed at once for the belief that they were the evil taken from the protector as it entered the world.  
  
Eventually times became harsh. Food and oasis became near impossible to find. Our sorrow was great, for our children were dying as were we ourselves, our race was perishing like water spilled on the sand.  
  
Finally, a stallion called us together, a great feat, as we were spread across the desert. He mad ea suggestion. We were dying here, why shouldn't we take the risk of traveling over the mountains, maybe the land on the other side would be better.  
  
At first it was scoffed at, leave our home? But eventually the toles on our population became to great. We traveled over the mountains. At first it was brutal. The cold winds tore at our short coats, to accustomed to warm weather. It was soon found that darker colors offered more protection to the cold. So we began letting them live. More because we were afraid for our race than anything, the more alive the better.  
  
When we finally caught our first view, we were enchanted, this place was heaven. Full of food. Full of shelter, everything we needed. So we settled in. Grew our great civilization here, the Gardens.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Draven finished her story with a yawn. "Time for sleep, the armies meet tomorrow and we must be awake." Maybe Draven didn't know it, but more than just her people caught onto the hidden message there. They were afraid of the Westens. Their army was much larger, if they decided they wanted to get rid of the Easterns...  
  
Autumn Skye shook her head, Majesty wouldn't allow it anyway. They needed the Eastern's help. Besides, Majesty had already commented that she hoped this led to a peace treaty, but Draven had to be aware. Autumn Skye closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her. 


	7. Allies

In a dark cell a small white pony raised her eyes to the small hole she and Dazzle had made weeks ago for a bit of light, each day the filled it with mud or rocks and dug it out again at night. The only gap in the sold stone walls. The stars were beautiful things and she wished nothing more than to run free beneath them, suddenly, her ears perked, the placement of the bright pinpoints was odd, not right...  
  
"Dazzle!" she whispered, shaking her companion awake, the soft purple/pink pony opened her eyes and tried to figure out what was wrong.  
  
"What?" she yawned sleepily.  
  
"The stars, see the way they are arranged?" Star Swirl seemed incredibly excited. The two ponies turned to one another and their next whisper was in unison.  
  
"They are coming."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Silverswirl was up and ready for the day before the sun was In fact, the only pony to beat her was Draven, who had gotten her up. She smiled at her matriarch "What can i do for you?"  
  
"Go ahead and keep an eye on the western troops as they come, they harbor dislike for us and though Majesty means well, her people have minds of their own." Draven looked faintly pained by the idea, but Silverswirl knew what she meant. The white unicorn nodded gravely and trotted toward the forest edge.  
  
Silverswirl was also aware that choosing her was a way of making sure she wasn't around to mope. Many unicorns were getting their wings for the breeding season, also known as fledging, right now. Silverswirl considered herself crippled in the sense that she had no wings to speak of. Therefore, she would never have a mate.  
  
She leaped into the air and her power revealed itself. A thin ribbon of silver, nearly transparent, replaced the white unicorn, it whisked away at top speed leaving only a whisper of sound behind it in reassurance "I will not fail you my queen."  
  
Draven smiled, secretly pleased that Silverswirl had called her queen. She headed over to Silthor, he had been fledging the past few days and it was a long and painful experience for males, if they fledged at all, which wasn't unusual, but a majority of them didn't. Unlike the females, where only unicorns fledged, males all fledged, regardless of species. Silthor's wings had finally broken through the thin layer of skin between then and the outside world last night. Some months before fledging males developed small thumb-like appendages on their sides, which were later covered by a thin layer of skin, over the next months they developed, only to dry out and be shed at the end of the breeding season.  
  
Unfortunately this was a fairly painful process in the last month of fledging and Silthor had been rather testy the entire time. Now he spread his leathery, dragon-like wings to show off a bit to his mate. A smile played upon her ghostly white face as she sat down beside him.  
  
"Tough night?"  
  
"Always is when they come through."  
  
"A splendid set this year." she chuckled. "Its rather unfortunate you won't use them much, too bad you chose an earther right?" he just laughed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Kimono was up with the break of day, the rising sun never ceased to amaze him, those fantastic colors! It was like the beginning of time for him, in fact, in it's own way it was, the beginning of his own time. The beginning of his herd and their world.  
  
"Hows it goin' Kimmy?" Minty was grinning as climbed up the rather steep hill.  
  
"Call me Kimmy again and die." Kimono threatened.  
  
"You'd hurt me? Gee, maybe I should tell Sunny Daze that she's in love with a murderer."  
  
"I am not a murder," Kimono's eyes took on a rather violent look, "Yet I'm going count to three now, you run or die, 1, 2, 3..." Minty was already on his way back to camp. Kimono gave a satisfied stretch and followed.  
  
By midday the army was on the road, a huge caravan inching its way along the narrow back roads. Majesty strode tall and proud looking and Draven couldn't help but wonder why the western queen was bursting with such pride. "What did you do?"  
  
"Not what I did, but what allies we have, thanks to Medley the great diplomat of course."  
  
"Oh? Whom pray tell?"  
  
At this moment they all found out, because the first of the traveling allies landed in front of them, a tall, proud looking pegasi, but what stood out the most was his hair, it was the colors of the rainbow, his sleek black hide nearly masked his expression, "Hello ladies, where do we bunk?" several more rainbow haired ponies appeared beside him.  
  
Draven was speechless, rainbow ponies were fairly reclusive, sticking to the less traveled forests, for fear that they would be taken advantage of for their powers as they had been so long ago. How in the world had Medley convinced them to come?  
  
"There are more coming." the black pegasi added, as if he feared Majesty might not be pleased with the idea that there were only six of them here.  
  
"Of course, yes, find a spot to march, or, ah, fly..." Majesty trailed off, apparently stunned as well. The rainbow ponies filed past, making their way into the crowd. 


	8. Silverswirl?

The marching army came upon it's first problem when they began into part of Majesty's territory. Several ponies dashed off to find Majesty in the mob while Silter tried to reason with them.  
  
Them being the clydesdales. And interesting bunch, well, actually, there was only one, but Silter could be assured that there were others waiting not far away. "Sir, we mean no harm, only passing through." Silter assured Tex, who was, unfortunately, not impressed.  
  
Now clydesdales are massive creatures, powerful too. And the fact that Easterns are generally small in stature did nothing to help Silter's confidence. "We cannot let you pass through Queen majesty's lands, without her permission." Tex was cut off from a probably long speech as Majesty made her way out to him.  
  
"I trust you aren't giving us any trouble Tex? Hasn't Medley told you?"  
  
"I was never told anything. Of course she might have stopped by Ice Crystal, rather scatter brained ya know."  
  
"Yes, but how could he forget this news?"  
  
"What news?" Tex looked rather interested  
  
"This army represents an alliance between our peoples in a joint attempt to overthrow the cruel Grundle empire based in the mountains."  
  
"Well said," Tex grinned, reared, and whistled. In second there were at least twenty clydesdales dotting the hillsides "'Spose we gotta guide you then. Meeting our army at the edges?"  
  
"Yes, how did you know?"  
  
"Not often we see at least fifty of our best fighters gathered in one place, not much of an army though, not expecting much of a fight?" The army had broken into a stiff trot with pegasi flying overhead. Majesty shook her head.  
  
"We're fairly sure that they have a low population, not many soldiers from what aerial scouts could figure. They do have air born mounts though, both the refugees and the scouts that survived could account for that." Tex answered only with a grim silence.  
  
They traveled on for some time before reaching the second army.  
  
The Easterns held back some. Nervousness showing openly in their slanted eyes. It was several seconds before Draven found her voice and what came out was a question to the nearest western soldier, "Have you seen one of my people recently, a white unicorn with a symbol of silver swirls?" the soldier, Applejack, was rather unhappy to be singled out by one of the other army, but answered as politely as she could.  
  
"No, I'm afraid we haven't, else we would have been aware of the, ah, arrangements, earlier."  
  
"I sent her ahead to meet you."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yes, she never showed up?" Draven was truly worried now, what could have made Silverswirl neglect her duty like that? Draven needed to find Silter, he could probably come up with a good explanation.  
  
And as it happened, he did, or at least it made sense, but it was a rather unhappy explanation as well, "Either they are lying out of shame because they executed her as a spy, she was captured by possible grundle patrols, they do occasionally wander these areas, or else something else may have gotten her."  
  
"Well thats a wonderful thought, what else could have her?"  
  
"Not all the stallions are under Majesty's control. One may have forced her to join his harem."  
  
"Harems? Barbaric." Draven was disgusted by the idea  
  
"Most certainly, it is allowed though, but only with special permission generally. If one did pick her up on her way then he would be breaking some of their oldest laws." Silter had remained calm somehow.  
  
"Oh? They have laws concerning this practice?  
  
"Mares must decide to join the herds on their own, Majesty allows the tradition to remain as a reminder of the past."  
  
"We remember our past, we don't need stallions with their own group of mares." Draven felt stressed and angry at Silter's overall calm lookout on the entire subject of Silverswirl's disappearance.  
  
"Don't be so worried, nothing could catch Silverswirl in her stripe form, and she always travels that way." Silter assured her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
As it happened, he was wrong. For as Silverswirl left the camp that morning and had traveled for at least two miles, she discovered this. 


	9. Plots Thicken

"You found her then?" the black rainbow's voice was hushed in the shadowed clearing where he met with the others. "She's never been hard to find, it was getting her here without a problem that was hard." Skydancer's flanks shook with a faint shudder, she had been late getting here with the errand that Ebony had sent her on, and she hated the pony she had been sent to get, there was something unsettling about her company... "Let me speak to her then." Ebony smiled, and Majesty had thought winning their help was a victory, she had yet to meet the pony he had managed to scrape out of the gutters of civilization. Skydancer led him to the small pony and before them was what some ponies may have considered a sad sight. A black pegasus like himself, her hair was mix of colors, purple, blue, and greens. What stood out most were the scars. They were all over her sides and even her face and legs. One stretched from her shoulder to symbol, five purple beanie hats, somehow both fitting, and out of place on the pony, "Sh! The rabid lederhosen hear us all..." Ebony had known the mare when she was sane, she was powerful, once a protector of her village. Now that village lay hidden in the mountains, its inhabitants slaughtered, its protector tortured to the point of insanity. The only reason they did not kill her was because they did not know how, Ebony knew how, and knew that otherwise she was immortal. In fact, the pegasus before him was around 670 years old, though she hardly looked over fifteen, at the moment... She was a hybrid as well, though she had never been a slave, or at least, not to grundles. "We have a job for you DW..." Skydancer was nervous in Whizzer's presence, Ebony almost laughed, the insane one was no more harmful than a fly, that is, unless you were evil... and she had an uncanny knack for knowing.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Silverswirl was finally waking. Her head felt strangely airy, and her thoughts were muddled like a pond with a stone thrown into it. Actually, judging from the pain in her skull, a rock had been thrown at it. Who was she anyway? Where was she? The last thing was remembered was a white pony telling her to check something... And then being engulfed in shadow. Shadow which wasn't what it seemed. She raised her head and was immediately dizzy. She looked around at the smooth cave walls and at the rain falling steadily outside so she couldn't tell what time of day it was. She groaned, "Where am I?" She started as a another, deep, hoarse voice answered her own, "Have a nice sleep love?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Kimono was pondering his own problems, though they were a bit smaller than the worries of Silverswirl at the current moment. As well his thoughts were not as crucial as those of the rainbow ponies as they prepared to show the new soldier to Majesty. His thoughts were on Sunny Daze. Maybe he should have been asleep right now, but where were he and his herd going to live after all this? Especially Sunny Daze and the foal. He already knew she was carrying it, and it was a thought to fuel him in their battle against the grundle empire. Well, she certainly would not be fighting then, he would make sure of that. He knew she would want too, but pregnant mares just did not do well on battlefields. "Rainbow Dash?" "Yeah?" "Say something completely annoying and depressing before I become perpetually happy and turn pink." "Hey! I have pink hair and it has not affected me in the least!" Minty sat up indignantly. "Sorry Minty." Kimono shrugged. Rainbow Dash finally chose a good answer, "You are a terrible fighter and a worthless mate for my sister, and you need to bathe more often too." "Think that was a bit harsh?" Minty was barely controlling laughter. Kimono on the other hand was staring at Rainbow Dash coldly. "Naw, it was true." Rainbow Dash said with a wink at Razzaroo, who giggled. Rainbow Dash decided now was a good time to go to the pond for a drink. He never made it there as Kimono tackled him. "Worthless fight am I?" Kimono managed to sound fierce through his laughter. Rainbow Dash kicked him off easily. "Yup." beyond this the morning proceeded with a boring routine. Autumn Skye was considering discussing her lack of visions lately with Draven. She hadn't even been able to make anything out of her element, not even a dream. Autumn Skye couldn't help but wonder if this was completely normal, but she supposed it must be. The weather was good, the world was at peace, for the moment anyway. BORING... At least, it was to the young foot soldier, a white pegasus, fiery hair of golden and scarlet hues and a lion symbol. She was only possibly seventeen now? No one had bothered to ask exactly and Lieos wouldn't dwell on it. A nice wind for flight was blowing, but Majesty had forbidden them to fly once they had begun coming close. Lieos' thoughts now were on returning a hero, she could see the banners now. She reared faintly and remembered where she was. One might wonder why such a pretty, young thing was here. After all, she couldn't even be quite called a mare yet, nor was she a foal. As of now she was really more of a filly. But, like so many, she had powers, she would be their eyes in the darkness when they could not see.  
  
(Lieos is Lady Symphony's character from Fewa, she was brought into this story with permission from her maker.) 


	10. Resolution

"And the next day, as the mountains loomed above them, and the battle drew even closer-"  
"Oh shut up! I can only stand it for so long!" Autumn Skye began rubbing her temples with a look of pure frustration. "Who wrote this?" she snatched the book from Rainbow Dash and Sunsparkle angrily.  
"I did." A white mare peeked out from behind the shelves. He mane was brightly colored and was braided and pulled up lest it trail on the hard floors of the royal library. There was an air of something tropical about her, the sort of mare who one could picture somewhere surfing rather than writing historical narratives.  
"Well that explains one thing, like lack of attention to detail perhaps!" Autumn Skye threw it down on the table, tipping the rainbow berry juice. Aloha Pearl rescued the book from it's watery fate with a quick snatch and held it tightly to herself.  
"Don't destroy that! It's a historical document!"  
"Well it might as well be fiction for all the fact it provides!"  
"Oh?"  
Autumn snatched the book back and proceeded to read it aloud. "Here, one page one, it claims that Majesty and her fold are northern, yet this is a false statement, they are western, as the rest of the book claims. This is only one of numerous errors. Including the fact that there are so many characters that just show up and disappear. Mace for instance, did not disappear, but is now living happily in the capital city!"  
"It was hard keeping track of all those war heroes!"  
"And what of Silverswirl, hm? She was abducted by a rogue stallion, as Silter assumed before and kept for three days against her will before escaping! Flipping through this, you claimed five!"  
"That's what she said in the interview!"  
"You bloody interviewed her while she was reviving from surgery! She was on pain killers!"  
"Well, I had a deadline you know!"  
Autumn Skye rolled her eyes, "Deadlines? Your only excuse is a deadline? And what about Lieos? You claimed that helping some young ones escape the battle she was mortally wounded-"  
"Well she was!"  
"And as she lay dying in the woods the rainbow of light itself came to her and granted her an immortal life for her deeds!"  
"That's what happened!"  
"Tell me Aloha, is there proof of this event?"  
"Er, no, but we all know-"  
"No, there is not. Therefore it is not a fact. Ideas and theories are best saved in a book of fiction."  
Aloha nodded sullenly and Autumn Skye laid down the book, "I'm going for a short walk to clear my brain of all your influences." with that and a flip of her tail the blue mare exited the library.  
"Hmph. My novel was perfectly fine."  
"I'm sure it was Aloha, but I must get the Princess to her next lesson."  
"Yes, yes, of course."  
Rainbow Dash nodded and left quickly, all to aware that Autumn Skye would soon be back, and this time with the knowledge that he was the editor of that particular book...  
"Uncle Rainbow Dash?" Sunsparkle began as they walked on a quick pace down the hallway, "Can you tell me the rest of the story?"  
"Of course, let me see.... Where do you want me to start?"  
"The battle, after Lieos died and Silverswirl got back, after all of that." they had stopped now and Sunsparkle was watching her uncle intently.  
"After the battle then?"  
"Sure."  
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and began to finish the tale he had begun just this morning.  
  
"After the battle our herd, now much larger. Stood among the ruins of our old life, our enslavement, and began anew. Majesty led us from there to a nearby valley which seemed so magical and had somehow escaped the grundle's wrath. This she said, was rightfully ours, here we were to begin our own reign.  
Soon as the castle was erected, the real development began. Ponyville became our capital city in the center, and all around were small towns. Hybrids who were results of not slavery, but of mixed marriages even, journeyed here and started new lives. You've seen Aloha right? She comes from the southern sea."  
"Momma says she's gonna have a baby soon."  
Rainbow Dash looked at Sunsparkle with a look of surprise on his face, "What? No wait, don't tell me, I'd rather not be told about all this castle gossip." Sunsparkle nodded respectfully.  
"To finish my tale: We were no longer outcasts, but a breed all our own, a new generation." 


End file.
